Starting mechanism for explosive-engines.



H. MEREDITH-JONES.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

APPLIGATION FILED APR. 22, 1913.

1,104,21 1 Patented July 21, 191i IQ?) A if w 1 B MNESSES: j M

JIM (if/1m UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUBERT MEREDITH-J ONES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO COLUMBIA NUT AND BOLT COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORA- TION OF NEW YORK.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR EXPLOSIVE-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 21, 1914.

Application filed Apr-i122, 1913. Serial No. 762,807.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HUBERT MEREDITH- Joxns, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at New York city, county of New York, State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Starting Mechanism for Explosive-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to starting mechanisms, both mechanical and electric, for explosive engines and has for its object to provide a back-fire releasing mechanism which shall be simple and inexpensive to produce and thoroughly reliable in operation. With this and other objects in view I have devised the novel mechanism which I will now describe, referring to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, reference characters being used to indicate the several parts.

Figure 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section illustrating the construction and operation of my novel mechanism; Fig. 2 an inverted plan view corresponding therewith, and'Fig. 3 a section on the line. 33 in Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

1O denotes an engine shaft and 11 astarting shaft. The starting shaft carries a pinion 12 which meshes with. a toothed ring 13 mounted to have independent movement on a wheel 14 fixed to an intermediate shaft 15. The intermediate shaft carries a pinion 16 which meshes with a toothed ring 17 mounted to have independent movement on a wheel 18 fixed to the engine shaft. Wheel 18 is provided in its periphery with recesses 19 made slightly deeper at one end than at the other, forming inclines 20. Rolls 21 lying in the recesses engage the inclines and the inner periphery of toothed ring 17, as will be more fully explained.

ring 13 by springs 26 hearing against the;

bases of the sockets and against the blocks. It will be noted that sockets 22-are slightly spaced apart,'leaving projections 27 between them, and that the parts are so proportioned that two of the balls will always be in engagement with sockets in toothed ring 13 and the other two will be in engagement with projections between two sockets, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The operation is as follows: To start an engine, (not shown), the engine shaft must be rotated. This is effected by rotating the starting shaft either mechanically or electrically as preferred. Pinion 12 communicates motion to toothed ring 13, which in turn communicates motion to wheel 14 through the engagement of two of the radially acting balls carried by the wheel with sockets in the inner wall of the toothed ring. Wheel 14 communicates motion to intermediate shaft 15 and pinion 16., which in turn com municates motion to toothed ring 17. The movement of this ring will cause rolls 21 to ride up the incline and lock wheel 18 to toothed ring 17 and thus communicate motion to the engine shaft. The instant the engine starts the engine shaft will be caused to rotate faster than the forward movement of toothed ring 17, the effect of which will be to cause the rolls to drop back into the deepest portion of the recesses in inclines and lock toothed ring 17 to wheel.

18. Toothed ring 17 will now drive pinion 16, the engine shaft and wheel 14 backward. Toothed ring 13, however, is prevented from moving backward, owing to the forwardly driving pressure of the starting shaft and pinion 12. Springs 26 will now yield and permit the balls to pass from socket to socket in the inner wall of toothed ring 13, until the power of the back-fire has exhausted itself, after which the springpressed balls will again lock toothed ring 13 to wheel 14 and the starting shaft will again turn the engine forward. Owing to the fact that two of the balls are always in engagement with projections between sockets in toothed ring 13, there will'be a quick engagement of the starting mechanism with the engine shaft the instant the power of the back-fire has exhausted itself.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. Mechanism of the character described comprising a wheel having peripheral recesses with inclines, a toothed ring outside the wheel, rolls between the inclines and the ring, an intermediate shaft carrying a pinion engaging the toothed ring and a wheel, radially pressed balls carried by the second wheel and a second toothed ring outside the second wheel and having sockets in its inner wall engaged by the balls, whereby when the second toothed ring is driven the first wheel will be driven by the intermediate connections stated, when the first wheel is driven otherwise the first toothed ring is disconnected, and when a reverse movement of the second toothed ring takes place the second toothed ring is disconnected from the second wheel by the yielding of the balls.

2. Mechanism of the character described comprising a wheel having peripheral recesses with inclines, a toothed ring outside the wheel, rolls between the inclines and the ring, an intermediate shaft, means for driv ing the toothed ring from the intermediate shaft, a wheel carried by said shaft and carrying radially acting springpressed balls, and a second toothed ring outside the second wheel, said second ring being provided in its inner wall with sockets adapted td' beengaged by the balls.

3. Mechanism of the character described comprising a wheel having peripheral recesses with inclines, a toothed ring outside the Wheel, rolls between the inclines and the ring, an intermediate shaft, means for driving the toothed ring from the intermediate shaft, a wheel carried by said shaft and having radial sockets, balls in said sockets, springs for forcing said balls forward and a second toothed ring outside the second wheel and having sockets in its inner wall adapted to be engaged by the spring-pressed balls, for the purpose set forth.

at. In combination, an engine shaft, a wheel carried thereby and having peripheral recesses with inclines, a toothed ring outside the wheel, rolls between the inclines and the ring, an intermediate shaft, a pinion on said shaft engaging the toothed ring, a wheel on said shaft, radially acting spring pressed balls carried by the second Wheel, a second toothed rin wheel and having soc ets in its inner wall engaged by the balls, a starting shaft and a pinion on said shaft engaging the second toothed ring.

outside the second 5. In combination, an engine shaft, connecting means carried thereby and adapted to start said shaft forward and to release said shaft when said shaft drives forward, and yielding driving means for the connecting means mounted independently of the engine shaft and adapted to yield should the engine backfire.

6. In combination, an engine shaft, a starting shaft, an intermediate shaft, means yieldingly connecting the intermediate shaft with the starting shaft and means connecting the intermediate shaft with the engine shaft during forward rotation, said second mentioned means becoming disconnected when the engine shaft drives forward.

7. In combination, an engine shaft, :1 starting shaft and an intermediate shaft, a wheel on the engine shaft having peripheral recesses with inclines, a toothed ring outside the wheel and rolls between the inclines and the ring, a wheel on the intermediate shaft, radially pressed balls carried thereby and a toothed ring outside said wheel and having sockets in its inner wall engaged to the balls, a pinion on the intermediate sha t engaging the first toothed ring and a pinion on the starting shaft engaging the second toothed ring.

8. In combination, an engine shaft, a starting shaft, an intermediate shaft, a wheel on the engine shaft, a toothed ring outside said wheel, connections between said wheel and ring that will lock in one direction and release in the other, a wheel on the intermediate shaft, a toothed ring outside said wheel and connections between said second mentioned wheel and the corresponding ring, adapted to yield should the engine backfire.

9. Mechanism of the character described comprising a wheel having peripheral recesses with inclines, a toothed ring outside the wheel, rolls between the inclines and the ring, an intermediate shaft, means for driving the toothed ring from the intermediate shaft, a wheel carried by said shaft and provided with four radial sockets,

spring-pressed balls in said sockets and a second toothed ring outside the second wheel,

said second ring being provided in its inner wall with sockets having projections between them, two of the balls engaging sockets-and the other two engaging projections between isockets, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HUBERT MEREnITi-ioNEs.

Witnesses S. W. ATHER'mN, EDLA M. Comm. 

